"Sakazuki, head to Impel Down immediately. Sanders has broken out of prison. I've already mobilized the fleet. You must suppress Sanders again, and if necessary, eliminate him. We cannot allow him to return to the seas."
Sengoku made the call to Admiral Kizaru.
At present, Marine Headquarters only had Kizaru available as an active admiral-level force.
As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku had to stay stationed at Marine Headquarters. Akainu was in the New World, Aokiji was off who-knows-where, and Garp was also absent from Headquarters.
Moreover, Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit ability would allow him to reach Impel Down quickly.
"Sanders, huh? How terrifying!"
"This junior actually broke out of Level Six? Truly scary."
Kizaru, wearing his signature sunglasses and a yellow-striped suit with a purple tie, paused mid-trim of his nails. His usually mischievous expression turned serious upon hearing about Sanders' escape.
"I understand, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Kizaru rose from his chair and began walking quickly, his "Justice" coat fluttering behind him.
Kizaru and Sengoku knew Sanders better than anyone else.
Three years ago, it had been both of them who apprehended Sanders.
Kizaru vividly remembered that battle. He knew full well how powerful Sanders was, having come from Zephyr's elite training camp.
At just 16, Sanders had the strength to rival an elite vice admiral.
If the power gap between a vice admiral and an admiral weren't so vast—and if Kizaru hadn't been assisting on the side—Sanders might have actually escaped from Sengoku back then using the speed of his Thunder-Thunder Fruit.
Looking at the entire Marine force, aside from Sengoku, Kizaru was probably the last person who wanted Sanders to escape.
After all, Kizaru's ideal was to do just enough to earn his paycheck.
If Sanders returned to the seas, he would certainly come after Kizaru, making his life much more complicated.
"Junior, the sea is too dangerous. You should stay in Impel Down."
With the Fleet Admiral's orders, the Marines began to mobilize. A large fleet of warships set sail in the direction of Impel Down, though many Marines had no idea what was happening.
At Impel Down, after defeating Shiryu, Sanders rushed toward the first level.
Along the way, aside from occasionally running into some guards, he didn't face much resistance.
When he reached the first level, Sanders saw a towering figure standing there, as if waiting for him.
In the dim light, Sanders could make out the figure's appearance.
The man was enormous, at least twice the height of Sanders, with a fearsome look. He resembled the legendary demon, Satan, with two horns on his head and bat-like wings emerging from his black prison warden uniform.
This man was none other than Magellan, the warden of Impel Down and a Paramecia-type Venom-Venom Fruit user.
"So that's why I didn't encounter many people along the way. You must have sent them away," Sanders said as he approached Magellan, smiling.
"Against a criminal as powerful as you, having others here would only result in needless casualties," Magellan replied gravely.
As he spoke, purple poisonous mist continuously emitted from his mouth and nose, making the already dimly lit scene appear even more eerie and terrifying.
"Criminal? What crime have I committed?" Sanders chuckled.
Though he had only served in the Marines for two years, he had made significant contributions by taking down many pirates.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been awarded the rank of Rear Admiral.
At that time, the Marines weren't promoting people based purely on strength; merit was required as well.
Magellan remained silent for a moment.
He knew a bit about the dirty dealings of the World Government and the Marines, but that wasn't his concern. His duty was to guard Impel Down and ensure that no prisoner escaped.
"This ends here, Sanders!" Magellan's eyes were resolute. "I won't let you escape Impel Down!"
As he spoke, thick, viscous purple liquid began oozing from Magellan's body.
Gurgle...
The sound was like flowing water, or perhaps boiling soup.
The toxic liquid spread across the floor, instantly corroding it as if sulfuric acid had been poured onto the ground. The liquid quickly pooled, and the air was soon filled with noxious fumes.
Soon, Magellan's entire body was covered in the venom, and behind him, the venom began to form into three massive dragons.
It was Magellan's signature move—the Poison Dragon!
Knowing that Sanders had defeated Shiryu, Magellan didn't dare to underestimate him. He went straight for his strongest move.
Seeing this, Sanders' face became serious, his gaze filled with caution.
Magellan was one of the reasons Sanders hadn't rushed to escape Impel Down.
In such a confined space, the Venom-Venom Fruit gave Magellan a massive advantage.
Armament Haki—Engage!
Sanders activated his Armament Haki, covering his entire body with it. The dense, continuous flow of Haki acted like armor, protecting him. He even sealed off his pores to prevent the poison gas from seeping in.
He held his breath to avoid inhaling any poison.
With lightning surging around his body and his eyes sparking with electricity, Sanders looked like the god of thunder descending to Earth. Bolts of electricity flickered across the first level, filling the air with the crackling sound of static.
"Sanders, accept your punishment!" Magellan shouted.
"Poison Dragon!"
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T/N:
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